45 Amendments of Hilde VAUTMANS related to 2024/2080(INI)
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 2
Paragraph 2 – indent 2
– the opening of accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina; encourages the authorities to take all of the relevant steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation of 12 October 2022; deplores the recurring inflammatory rhetoric and secessionist laws and policies of the leadership of the entity ‘Republika Srpska’ and, recalls in this context the importance of EUFOR Althea being visibly present and the need for an effective strategic communication to fight against information manipulation;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 6
Paragraph 2 – indent 6
– the successful resumption of the CFSP dialogue between the EU and its partners in the Western Balkans and the importance of these partnerships for peace and security; recalls that EU enlargement is a geostrategic investment, which requires commitment from both the EU and the enlargement countries on their pathways to accession; recalls in this context it is a merit-based and reversible process, entailing the continued need for reforms regarding the rule of law, fundamental rights and public administration, and for alignment with the CFSP, including on sanctions;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – indent 8
Paragraph 2 – indent 8
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)
– North Korean interference in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine by sending military equipment and ammunition to Russia as well as by sending thousands of soldiers to train in eastern Russia and join the fight against Ukraine;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 4
Paragraph 3 – indent 4
– the brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks committed by Hamas across Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered a conflict in Gaza that has a disproportionate effect on civilians and caused a catastrophic humanitarian situationand Israel’s disproportionate response in Gaza that caused civilian casualties to an excessive extent and a catastrophic humanitarian situation with reasons to suspect large-scale and major violations of international law; the deliberate and malignant fuelling of an exceptionally tense situation, through repeated attacks targeting Israel since 7 October 2023, by State and non-State actors in the region with Iran being the main instigator as well as the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon acting as some of its proxies; the decision by Israel to proceed with a large scale military operation in Lebanon on 30 September 2024 in retaliation to Hezbollah’s attacks, further escalating the conflict;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 6
Paragraph 3 – indent 6
– the wrongful detention of European citizens in Iran and the recent resort to the death penalty against a European citizen; urges the VP/HR to do the utmost to free these citizens and to put an end to the practice of Iranian hostage diplomacy;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 7
Paragraph 3 – indent 7
– the recent adoption of the law on the ‘promotion of virtue and prevention of vice’ in Afghanistan, as well as the systematic violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular the extreme interpretation of sharia which erases women from public life, bars them from working, hinders their access to healthcare without being chaperoned by a male relative and to education beyond the sixth grade amounting to gender apartheid; demands from the de facto authorities of Afghanistan that all gender- based restrictions on women be lifted and stresses that this must be a key condition for any engagement of the international community with the Taliban; insists on maintaining strict, conditional engagement with the Taliban based on the five benchmarks set by the Council for engaging with the de facto authorities and by holding the perpetrators of these grave violations of girls’ and women’s rights accountable, including through restrictive measures;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 9
Paragraph 3 – indent 9
– the decision of the central Sahel military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to leave the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), thus plunging ECOWAS into a deep political crisis; takes note of the de facto closure of the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger) and the non-renewal of the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM); deplores the rise of terrorist attacks and heavy civilian losses in the region as well as the presence and predation activities of Russian paramilitaries;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 a (new)
– the despicable large-scale use of rape as a weapon of war and drastic worsening of the humanitarian situation in Sudan;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 b (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 9 b (new)
– the risk of collapse of the state structures and difficult humanitarian situation in Haiti due to rampant gang violence;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 10 a (new)
Paragraph 3 – indent 10 a (new)
– the failure by Azerbaijan to comply with the order of 17 November 2023, issued by the International Court of Justice, indicating provisional measures regarding the safe, unimpeded and expeditious return of the 100,000 ethnic Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh after the September 2023 pre-planned, unjustified military attack by Azerbaijan which amounted to ethnic cleansing, as well as the refusal of Azerbaijani authorities to release all 23 Armenian prisoners of war it currently detains; stresses the need to support all initiatives and activities that could lead to the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the signing of a long- awaited peace agreement and calls on Azerbaijan to demonstrate genuine efforts to this end; warns Azerbaijan that any military action against Armenia would be unacceptable and would have serious consequences for the partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU; highlights that Azerbaijan’s connectivity issues with its exclave of Nakhchivan should be resolved with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia; reiterates its position that the EU should be ready to impose sanctions on any individuals and entities that threaten the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Armenia; stresses that the multiple warnings of the European Parliament on the situation have not led to any change in the EU stance towards Azerbaijan; calls for the EU to end its reliance on gas exports from Azerbaijan; calls on the Commission to suspend the 2022 memorandum of understanding on the strategic partnership in the field of energy and to act accordingly; calls for the EU to cease all technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan that might contribute to strengthening its military or security capabilities; calls on the Member States to freeze exports of all military and security equipment to Azerbaijan; condemns Azerbaijan’s repeated attempts to denigrate and destabilise Member States, including through the so-called Baku Initiative Group;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 1
Paragraph 4 – indent 1
– uncertainties related to Türkiye’s foreign policy priorities; the need to improve relations with Türkiye; welcomes the partial de- escalation of tensions in the east Mediterranean and the Aegean; reiterates its concern that Türkiye’s foreign policy continues to be at odds with EU priorities under the CFSP;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 2
Paragraph 4 – indent 2
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 3
Paragraph 4 – indent 3
– the fact that Türkiye is making an inadequate effort in aligning with the EU’s CFSP, including on sanctions and the anti- circumvention of sanctions, as well as with the need for Türkiye to cooperate closely with the EU’s Sanctions Envoy; deplores the unacceptable nature of the solidarity and support that the President of Türkiye has publicly provided to the terrorist organisation Hamas; reiterates its concerns about the ongoing deterioration of democratic standards in Türkiye; recalls that Türkiye also targets the EU with foreign information manipulation and interference and that its government is considering introducing a Russian-style Foreign Agents Law;
Amendment 380 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
– the continued backsliding of democratic standards in Georgia, in spite of and in parallel to the granting of EU candidate status on 14 December 2023, as made evident by the intimidations and irregularities observed during the 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections; the fact that the law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, the law on ‘family values and protection of minors’, as well as the changes to the Electoral Code in Georgia, are incompatible with EU values and democratic principles; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership; concurs with the European Council’s conclusions of 27 June 2024 that failure to reverse the current course of action jeopardises Georgia’s EU path, de facto leading to a halt of the accession process; calls on the EU to react meaningfully to the watershed implications of the recent unfair elections for democracy and rule of law in Georgia;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
– the fact that the law on ‘transparency of foreign influence’, the law on ‘family values and protection of minors’, as well as the changes to the Electoral Code in Georgia, are incompatible with EU values and democratic principles; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership; considers it extremely unfortunate that the Georgian authorities did not allow its citizens to choose freely in the parliamentary elections between returning to the path of joining the European Union and deepening authoritarianism;
Amendment 461 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Denounces the abusive use by Hungary of its veto power to delay or effectively block EU essential aid from being granted to Ukraine; condemns Viktor Orban’s so called “peace-mission” visit to the Russian Federation on 5 July 2024 and stresses he did not in any degree or capacity represent the EU;
Amendment 476 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for the EU and the Member States to reinforce the effectiveness of its 14 sanction packages adopted so far and adopt new ones as soon as the need arises; calls for effective cooperation with like- minded partners across the globe to increase the pressure on Russia; fully supports the announcement of a forthcoming roadmap towards ending Russian energy imports;
Amendment 481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Recalls that Russia is benefitting from help and resources, including military, provided by a network of allies including Iran, China and North Korea, enabling it to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine, with the probable goal of transforming it into a war of attrition; voices its strongest concern regarding confirmed reports that North Korean troops have been deployed in the Kursk region; stresses that this represents an unacceptable extension of the conflict which must be met by meaningful retaliatory consequences by Ukraine’s allies;
Amendment 506 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates that Ukraine, as a victim of aggression, has the legitimate right to self-defence in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter; calls on the VP/HR, the Commission the Council and the Member States concerned to enable effective Ukrainian countermeasures against Russia; recalls that Russia has violated international law and that the full seizure of the frozen Russian assets is an appropriate and feasible step towards enforcing Russia’s obligation to abide by international law, and to compensate Ukraine and other injured parties for the losses caused by Russia’s war of aggression;
Amendment 534 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls for more targeted sanctions on the shadow fleet in the next sanctions package against Russia, such as designating all possible individual shadow fleet vessels, as well as their owners, operators, managers, etc.; Recommends banning tanker sales to countries facilitating trade with Russia; notes that the flag states contributing to the Russian shadow fleet are thereby also helping the Russian war effort; emphasizes that in case the classical diplomatic efforts fail, the European Commission should seriously reassess its cooperation, such as development cooperation, Everything but Arms (EBA) scheme etc. with such third countries that work against the EU’s foreign policy;
Amendment 540 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Recalls the fact that the security of the Republic of Moldova is inextricably linked to the security of Ukraine and deems the Republic of Moldova the second line of defence of the European way of life; believes that both Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession to the EU would be a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe; welcomes the outcome of the referendum of Moldova on the changes to its constitution and commitment to joining the EU; encourages the VP/HR to enhance the CFSP partnership with Ukraine and Moldova through concrete measures and, in particular, through measures ensuring the inviolability of the state borders of and between both countries;
Amendment 546 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Condemns the constitution by Russia, as a workaround to EU sanctions and EU/G7+ price caps and thus significantly reducing their efficiency, of a shadow fleet composed of older tankers with opaque ownership posing an environmental hazard; calls on the Commission to urgently take action, within the framework of the EU’s cooperation with the International Maritime Organisation, to prevent and limit the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet;
Amendment 551 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Reiterates its call for the Council to gradually switch to qualified majority voting for decisions in areas of the CFSP that do not have military or defence implications;
Amendment 552 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Denounces the fact that Russia attempts to make countries in its former sphere of influence pay a heavy price for choosing to pursue the path of democracy, such as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova but also Armenia; welcomes Armenia’s decision to suspend its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization and cease all payments to its budget in 2024, following Russia’s failure to assist Armenia against Azerbaijan's military aggression, and to seek a more reliable security architecture; supports Armenia’s official request for the Russian Federation to withdraw its Federal Security Service border guards from its international airport and the Armenia- Iran border; commends the decision to adopt the assistance measures under the European Peace Facility in support of Moldovan and Armenian armed forces respectively on 13 June and 22 July 2024;
Amendment 554 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Stresses that in the highly unstable geopolitical situation and international environment around the Union significant financial and budgetary increase is needed for the European defence to be able to meet the challenges in the short and long term; calls on the European Commission to pay particular attention to the EU’s external borders neighbouring Russia and Belarus;
Amendment 557 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Stresses the need to increase the EU’s efforts, in cooperation with NATO and other international partners, to address and foster resilience against hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation and propaganda campaigns, both within the Union and in third countries;
Amendment 558 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Deplores that Russia and its supporters appear to have so far succeeded in engineering the betrayal of the aspirations of the large majority of the Georgian people to live in a democratic society;
Amendment 571 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Affirms the right of Israel to defend itself as enshrined in and constrained by international law; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and a subsequently imminentn immediate and permeant ceasefire, notably to address the risk of mass starvation and the outbreak of a health epidemic in Gaza; recalls that Israel also has the obligation to protect the civilian population and that military operations must be proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law;
Amendment 595 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reiterates its unwavering support for a negotiated two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders, with two sovereign, democratic states as peaceful neighbours and with Jerusalem as their shared capital; condemns the acceleration of the illegal Israeli settlement of Palestinian land, which constitutes a violation of international law; expresses concern over the rising violence committed by Israeli forces and extremist settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; supports the decision by the Council to impose sanctions on several violent extremist settlers; expresses support for US President Biden’s three-phase Peace Plan and regrets the lack of will on both sides to ensure its implementation; regrets, further, that the latest rounds of peace talks did not bring any tangible results; applauds the announcement of a forthcoming EU- Middle East Strategy and stresses it must be fleshed out within the first months of the new College’s mandate for it to have any tangible impact on a rapidly deteriorating situation;
Amendment 604 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Condemns the Israeli Parliament’s decision to ban UNRWA’s operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which is contrary to international law and risks further deteriorating the humanitarian situation in the region, and urges for it to be reversed; emphasises once more UNRWA’s irreplaceable role as a provider of basic and lifesaving services in the region; welcomes the new commitments made by UNRWA to the European Commission in March 2024 to strengthen neutrality and oversight in light of the extremely serious allegations that employees might have participated in the October 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel; stresses that additional measures may be needed in the future to strive for ever greater transparency and neutrality monitoring;
Amendment 611 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Expresses concern about rising tensions in the Middle East and the destabilising role that the Iranian regime and its network of non-state actors play in the region; urges all parties to show maximum restraint, commit to de- escalation and refrain from any further escalation, as a regional conflict must be avoided at all costs; notes that Iran struck Israel’s territory directly and openly twice this year, with Israel retaliating both times, which represents an unprecedented scaling up of the conflict; calls upon the VP/HR and the Member States to continue and step up their diplomatic efforts with international partners, including with the Gulf countries, in order to encourage urgent de-escalation and meaningful dialogue;
Amendment 633 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Highlights the strong links between Iran and the IRGC, its proxies such as the Houthis, militias operating in Iraqi and Syrian militias,, Bashar el-Assad's bloody regime in Syria and organisations on the EU terrorist list, namely Hamas and Hezbollah’s military wing; calls on the Council and the VP/HR to add Hezbollah in its entirety to the EU list of terrorist organisations; deplores Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel which have resulted in an Israeli ground invasion in Lebanon; is deeply concerned about the situation in Lebanon and recalls the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities as soon as possible to create space for a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line, consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, as the only path to de- escalate tensions and stabilise the Israel- Lebanon border in a durable manner; condemns the Israeli Defence Forces' and Hezbollah’s intentional attacks on UNIFIL, which are contrary to international law; reaffirms the essential stabilizing role played by UNIFIL, to which 16 Member States contribute, in southern Lebanon and calls for an immediate end to these attacks;
Amendment 661 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Expresses concern regarding the inflammatory rhetoric, fuelled by mis- and disinformation, that surrounds this conflict, and its instrumentalisation by malicious actors to sow distrust and hatred including within European societies, as illustrated notably, but not solely, by the worrying rise of antisemitism; warns that it should be a primary focus of the EU fight against disinformation and calls for a coordinated approach by the Commission taking into account the external and internal dimensions of its policies, including but not limited to the forthcoming strategic communication plan to promote the EU’s role in the Southern Neighbourhood;
Amendment 663 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Reiterates its unwavering support to the women of Iran, who are still subjected to the inhumane curtailing of their fundamental rights two years after the Women, Life, Freedom movement was brutally repressed;
Amendment 664 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)
Paragraph 20 c (new)
20c. Considers that normalisation with the Syrian regime cannot take place unless and until Bachar el-Assad demonstrates his will and his capacity to allow for a political transition in Syria; recalls the Assad regime is an essential ally of Iran in the region and allows it to use Syria as a playground for region- destabilising purposes, including the trafficking of weapons and drugs; stresses that the Syrian political process is deadlocked and that the living conditions of Syrians are worsening considerably; reiterates the EU's position that the conditions are not met for the voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees to Syria;
Amendment 740 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls that the transatlantic relationship remains the most important and strategic relationship for the EU and its Member States, which has been emphasised by the unity and strength of the partnership demonstrated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; takes note of the result of the presidential and congressional elections in the United States which once again confirm the urgent necessity to fully operationalise EU strategic autonomy and mainstream it across all policy areas; further underlines that a strong transatlantic relationship remains indispensable for the security of the partners on both sides of the Atlantic; calls on the Commission to foster closer ties with key partners in both the US and Canada in order to counter global challenges that affect our shared values, interests, security and prosperity; recalls that such cooperation is in no way contradictory with the construction of a strong European defence union;
Amendment 756 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Welcomes the new momentum in bilateral relations between the EU and Armenia, which is strongly supported by the authorities in Yerevan; calls on the Commission and the Council to actively support Armenia’s desire for increased cooperation with the EU; expresses full support to the prospect of a new EU- Armenia Partnership Agenda;
Amendment 784 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Considers that the rise of China remains one of the primary geopolitical challenges of the 21st century and requires a multi-dimensional response through which the EU maintains its engagement with China on a number of key issues; calls on the VP/HR and the Member States to maintain diplomatic engagement while increasing the EU’s assertiveness towards China in order for it to assume its responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council; stresses that the EU needs to be more unified in their approach to China;
Amendment 815 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Notes that geopolitical challenges have strengthened the shared interest of the EU and India in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development; calls for an India-EU summit to keep bilateral relations high on the agenda; welcomes the announcement of a forthcoming Strategic EU-India Agenda;
Amendment 826 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Urges the VP/HR and the Member States to focus on bilateral relations with like-minded partners in Africa, among others Ghana, Morocco, Kenya and Senegal, taking into account mutual needs and interests in order to foster real and balanced partnerships; believes that the ‘more for more’ principle should be integrated fully into relations with non-EU countries, whereby the EU develops stronger partnerships with those countries that uphold the principles of the CFSP and the common security and defence policy (CSDP), and the fundamental values of the EU; calls for the EU to respond to partner countries’ expectations and to deliver quickly on political agreements with them in order to show that the EU is a key and strategic partner and demonstrate that the international rules-based system can meet contemporary challenges;
Amendment 888 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Highlights the role of the VP/HR as a bridge-builder between the CFSP and EU external relations to ensure the highest level of coordination and coherence in EU external action; regrets, nonetheless, that in some cases there is a lack of clarity in the external representation of the EU; regrets further that this lack of clarity hinders EU’s strategic communication abroad; stresses the need to clearly define the competences of the VP/HR, the President of the Commission and the President of the European Council with regard to the EU’s external action and representation;
Amendment 913 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Recalls that any activities of the Union undertaken in its Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods, and most particularly in Ukraine and Moldova, should be communicated adequately to bring visibility to EU’s actions and to prevent malicious rhetoric emanating from foreign actors to spread an illegitimate anti-EU narrative;
Amendment 974 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 43 – indent 2 a (new)
– to further increase the number of observers deployed as part of the EU civilian mission in Armenia (EUMA) on the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan and reiterate calls for Azerbaijan to cooperate with the mission and cease its smear campaign against it;
Amendment 977 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 – indent 3
Paragraph 43 – indent 3
– to reiterate his support for the ongoing work by the EU Police and Rule of Law Mission for the occupied Palestinian territory (EUPOL COPPS) and the EU Border Assistance Mission (support an increased role of the two EU civilian CSDP missions EUPOL COPPS and EUBAM Rafah, in line with European Council conclusions of 21 and 22 March 2024 recalling they can play an important role based on the principle of the two-state solution and the viability of a future Palestinian state, to participate in the facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza strip, to improve the efficiency of the Palestinian authority in the West Bank, and to prepare for its return to the Gaza strip; stresses in particular the need to create the necessary conditions for the full reactivation of EU BAM) in Rafah in assisting Rafah to allow it to act as a neutral third party at the Rafah crossing point, in coordination with the Palestinian aAuthorities’ security and justice sectory as well as the Israeli and Egyptian authorities; expects the reinform and integrated border managementcement of the scope and mandates of EUPOL COPPS and EUBAM Rafah on the ground to be included as key priorities of the forthcoming EU-Middle East Strategy;